Festival Activities

Holiday music will be flavored with Louisiana spice December 7 and 8, 2012, when the Bon Temps Social Club, in partnership with Gator By the Bay Festival, hosts the Plaza de Panama stage at December Nights, Balboa Park’s wildly popular seasonal event. For the fourth consecutive year, Mardi Gras beads will twinkle in the holiday lights as the lively sounds of Louisiana Cajun and zydeco music, along with blues and country swing, fill the air and dance floor. Dance instructors will be giving lessons in between the band sets, so there’s no excuse to not join in the fun.

For 22 years, the Bon Temps Social Club has been bringing the good time music of Louisiana to San Diego, sponsoring dances on the second Saturday of each month. The dances, usually held at the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park, feature the very best live Cajun and zydeco bands from Louisiana, Texas and California. As a special holiday gift, the Bon Temps Social Club will be giving free admission to either the January 2012 and February monthly dance to December Nights attendees who visit the club’s booth, located next to the stage and dance floor.

Gator By the Bay is a rollicking three day music festival, held annually in May on Mother’s Day weekend at Spanish Landing Park. The festival, which draws upwards of 12,000 attendees, celebrates the music, dancing, culture and food of Louisiana, as well as blues, swing, and roots music.

Multicultural Bazaar. Live performances by Mariachi Sol de Chula Vista on Friday, 6:00-7:00pm and Saturday, 3:00-4:00pm. 
Latin Dance Cardio Performance by Martin Davila, Friday, 7:00-8:00pm and Saturday, 6:00-7:00pm

Help decorate the Christmas tree and purchase handmade crafts, pottery and jewelry. 

The Community Christmas Center Committee Nativity Display and Gingerbread House is also located in the Organ Pavilion. The Community Christmas Center Committee is a non-profit organization supporting the life-size Nativity display. Take pictures with Santa on side wing of stage near the Gingerbread House on Friday and Saturday from 5:00-8:00pm. Gingerbread and sugar cookies along with hot and cold beverages are for sale in the Gingerbread House.

The annual International Christmas Festival at the Cottages features cultural performances, food, drink and festivities to celebrate the season from around the world. 

Hours: Friday, 5:00-10:00pm; Saturday Noon-10:00pm. 

The Balboa Park Puppet Guild performs an original adaptaion of Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. This holiday tradition features animal puppets in the roles of Ebeneezer Scrooge, Bob Kratchet, and the Christmas ghosts. 

Shows are at 6:00, 7:00 & 8:00pm both nights.
The Puppet Stores will be open from 5:00-9:00pm both nights.

Special holiday promotions throughout the store. Fun holiday props in the Photo Booth.

The museum will be closed during daytime hours both Friday (12/7) and Saturday (12/8) and reopening during December Nights from 5:00-9:00pm.

Open FREE 3:00-9:30pm both days. (Closed prior to 3:00pm)
Create lasting holiday memories with great food, beer garden (21+), live holiday entertainment, activities, motion simulators, and 4D theater. "How Things Fly....Experience the Adventure" entertains and challenges visitors of all ages.
"The Rockin' Cranberries" perform on the main stage both nights from 6-9pm

Children's Aviation/Holiday inspired craft projects are also located in the Pavilion of Flight.

Hours: Closed during regular daytime hours both days. Open from 5:00-9:00pm Friday and Saturday.

Photos with Santa in a vintage car. $5 donation. 

Excerpts of The Nutcracker
Take an extraordinary journey to the magical Land of Sweets with Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. Witness the epic battle between toy soldiers and mice before being whisked away to an enchanted land of falling snow, waltzing flowers, and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Casa del Prado Theatre: 6:00, 7:00 & 8:00pm both evenings

Hours: Friday, 5:00-9:00pm; Saturday Noon-9:00pm.
San Diego’s rich sports history comes alive in a festive holiday setting. Enjoy free children’s holiday movies in the theater with photo opportunities available with Santa and his Elf.

Children’s Holiday Movie Theater Schedule:
5:00pm                 Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (51 minutes)
6:00pm                 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (47 minutes)
7:00pm                 Frosty the Snowman (25 minutes)
7:30pm                 Frosty Returns (25 minutes)
8:00pm                 A Charlie Brown Christmas (25 minutes)
8:30pm                 It’s Christmastime Again Charlie Brown (25 minutes)

Home Plate Sports Café will be serving up a selection of great entertainment, food and beverages. In addition to their pub favorites, Home Plate will present a collection of "Team Pleasers" ™ aka Ballpark foods: Hot Dogs, Sausages, Burgers, Chili, Nachos, Popcorn, Sweets and much more.  There will also be an Espresso bar, serving Irish Coffees, Hot Toddy’s and more. 

Musical entertainment will be provided by singer/songwriter/guitarist Rick Diaz

The San Diego Madres will be outside of the Hall of Champions with chili, baked goods, coffee, hot chocolate and cider. The Madres support youth baseball and softball throughout San Diego county, with more than $25,000 donated to Little League, Softball and Challenger teams. 

Ring in the holiday season with JT On Tour carolers performing special holiday songs from 6:00-9:00pm both nights.

Enjoy delicious chili with all the fixins', hot and cold drinks, and holiday treats. Also for sale are festive holiday accessories. 

Learn the truth behind the Mayan apocalypse theories at the San Diego Museum of Man! See evidence of a sophisticated and complex culture in the rare and compelling artifacts, including masks, bowls, and the majestic stelae. Also on view is one of most important ancient Egyptian collections in the United States, which includes authentic Egyptian mummies and one of the world’s few surviving examples of Nefertiti’s cartouche.

The special exhibition "Instruments of Torture" will close both days at 4:30 and will not be open during the event.

The San Diego Zoo Zone features Santa's Express Miniature Railroad ($3) and Skyfari ($4). 

Enjoy spectacular views of Balboa Park December Nights and Downtown San Diego from the Zoo's Skyfari Aerial Tram ride. All tickets for Skyfari are round trips only with no on or off privileges on the far side of the Zoo. The Zoo will not be open except for access to Skyfari. $4.

Santa's Express Miniature Railroad (near the Zoo exit) takes a 3 minute holiday ride. $3

The Old Globe presents Photos with Mr. Grinch in front of the Whoville Town Square Christmas Tree, along with Popcorn and Glow Necklace sales sponsored by the Globe Guilders.  The Old Globe Theatre lobby will feature a display of the amazing costumes created for the Globe’s stages and a set from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” will be on stage for visitors to see.  Performances of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” will be Saturday at 11:00am (all ages Matinee) and 2:00 and 5:00pm (children under age three not admitted).

Hours: Open for free 10:00am-9:00pm both days.

Annual Christmas tree displaying the exquisite Schlappi collection of Hord and Schlappi Christmas ornaments. 

Also on view, Behold, America! Art of the United States from Three San Diego Museums is a groundbreaking collaborative exhibition that brings together the finest American works from the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, The San Diego Museum of Art, and the Timken Museum of Art.